East Sea sees first storm of 2018

SGGPWednesday, January 03, 2018 11:40

A tropical low pressure system brewed south off the Philippines has moved into the East Sea and intensified into Bolaven storm, the first one in the area this year, according to the National Hydro Meteorological Forecasting Center (nchmf).

Bolaven storm direction in the East Sea on January 3 (Photo: nchmf)Bolaven storm direction in the East Sea on January 3 (Photo: nchmf)

At 7 a.m. this morning, the storm was centered about 210 kilometers south southeast of Song Tu Tay (Southwest Cay) Islet, the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands. Strongest winds near the eye of the storm reached level 8 with the speed of 60-75 kilometers an hour.

In the next 24 hours, it is forecast to move west northwest at 25 kilometers an hour. By 7a .m. on January 4, it will locate 250 kilometers east of the central provinces of Ninh Thuan-Binh Thuan with wind power remaining unchanged.

Afterwards, Bolaven will keep moving west northwest at 20 kilometers an hour and weaken into a tropical low pressure system, which will be positioned in the waters off provinces from Phu Yen to Ba Ria-Vung Tau at 7 p.m. on the same day.